A sample of 25 g of each batch was homogenized with 225 ml of saline peptone (0.1%) water by a stomacher, and the sample ho- mogenates were decimally diluted in saline peptone water. Plate count for LAB was determined by plating 100 mL of appropriate dilutions onto MRS agar (pH 6.2; Oxoid, United Kingdom) supple- mented with amphotericin B (SigmaeAldrich, USA) at 10 mg/l to reduce mold growth (NMKL method No. 140; NMKL, 2007). Plates were incubated at 25 C for 4e5 days in sealed jars in an anaerobic, carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere created with AnaeroGen sachets (Oxoid). All colonies that were visible after 4e5 days h were counted, and included in the LAB count.